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Note: Flying Blue will announce new award prices for many routes in June 2018, stay tuned for updates.

Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France, KLM and several partner airlines. With its range of mile earning opportunities and a large group of airline partners, Flying Blue offers strong value to travelers.

Using Flying Blue miles for award flights is relatively simple. Many itineraries can be booked online. Award charts and routing rules are straightforward across member airlines.

Plus, there are great values including monthly Promo Awards for discounts of 20-50%. Let’s find some of the best Flying Blue values!

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Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year: Travel, Shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.

The 19 Best Ways to Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles

1. Save 20-50% With Flying Blue Promo Awards (Air France / KLM)

Use Flying Blue Promo Awards to get a seriously good deal on flying Air France in business class. Image courtesy of airliners.net.

The best ways to use Flying Blue miles while getting the highest values per point are monthly Promo Awards. Discounts range 20-50% off the miles price!

Promo Awards are bookable for travel within 3 months. You still pay the full fees and any application surcharges.

Each Promo Award specifies the available dates, route, airline (Air France and/or KLM) and class (economy or business). Some Promo Awards are between 2 specific cities, while others are between a city and region.

Example: A US city may offer 50% off to Europe, so one-way economy is only 12,500 miles. Check regularly as these offers come and go. You must book online.

Hot Tip: Even if there is no Promo Award from your home airport, it might be a good deal to buy a Promo Award from another airport and a separate, cheap ticket to get to that airport. This is called a ‘positioning flight’.

2. Israel and North Africa Savings Because They’re in ‘Europe’ Region

Visit Chefchaouen in Morocco for the same number of miles as going to Europe with KLM/Air France Flying Blue. Image courtesy of lonelyplanet.com

Israel, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and the Canary Islands are all part of Europe according to Flying Blue. Most other programs put them in Middle East or Africa regions which are more expensive than Europe when coming from North America.

Coming from the US, Classic Awards are only 50,000 miles round-trip in economy, 100,000 in business.

When these go on Promo Award sale you have huge savings!

In addition to Air France/KLM flights, Delta flies to Israel and Alitalia to North Africa.

The flip side of this is an Israel to Middle East award is quite expensive even if just a short flight.

3. US 48 to Hawaii (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

Using your Flying Blue to get to Hawaii can present some incredible value! Image courtesy of hawaii.com.

Using Flying Blue partner airlines Delta and Alaska, a great Flying Blue redemption is for flights from the US 48 to Hawaii. Round-trip is only 30,000 Flying Blue miles in economy and less than $10 in fees.

US 48 to the South Pacific is only 60,000 miles round-trip in economy. Air France flies Los Angeles to Tahiti.

In addition, you can fly to South Pacific via Japan on Aircalin or via Australia on Delta.

9. Pacific Island Hopping (Aircalin)

Dive the South Pacific and see the sharks in New Caledonia with a Flying Blue award on Aircalin. Image courtesy shutterstock.com

Aircalin is a South Pacific airline that connects some of the most remote and beautiful islands in the world.

A great place to start is their nonstop flight from Tokyo Narita to Noumea, New Caledonia. New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands have it all, and all levels of luxury.

Business class is 150,000 miles round-trip, while economy is 60,000 miles.

With the South Pacific, flights are 30,000 miles round-trip in economy, often a great deal for how expensive these tickets can be. Visit Wallis and Fortuna, so small the two islands share only one ATM!

10. Central America Beaches and Jungles (Copa)

Copa is a Star Alliance airline yet partners with Flying Blue. From its hub in Panama City you can reach Central and South America destinations that are often expensive cash tickets.

US to Central America round-trip is just 30,000 miles round-trip in economy. Within Central America, flights are 25,000 round-trip in economy.

11. Europe Domestic Flights

Air France, KLM and its partners such as Alitalia and Czech Airways cover much of Europe. Awards start at just 8,500 miles one-way. Focus on economy because intra-Europe business class is not much different from economy.

Always shop around because Europe flights usually have a high cash component due to taxes, which are passed on for awards. It may be better value on some trips to buy a cash ticket.

12. Visit Corsica, Napoleon’s Home Island (Air France, Air Corsica)

What better than a combination of France and Italy with spectacular beaches and towering mountain villages? Image courtesy shutterstock.com

Corsica is a ravishing island blending French and Italian culture, and is the birthplace of Napoleon.

Air France and Air Corsica awards are available to the island’s 4 airports: AJA, BIA, CLY and FSC. You have many options and it is really hard to choose where to go for your Corsica vacation!

13. Into India (Jet Airways)

Flying Blue now partners with India’s Jet Airways so you no longer have to book an award to New Delhi or Mumbai and then add a separate domestic ticket to continue to India’s many wonderful destinations.

Now you can add a Jet Airways segments to your award to India.

US to India is 80,000 miles round-trip in economy. Business is expensive at 200,000 miles.

In contrast, because domestic flights in India are typically cheap, it is not often a good award value to use Flying Blue for purely domestic India award flights.

14. Into Japan (Japan Airlines)

SkyTeam lacks a Japanese partner airline, so it is great that Flying Blue partners with Japan Airlines.

Like using Jet Airways in India, if you are booking a Flying Blue award to Japan, you can fly Japan Airlines all the way or fly another airline and add a Japan Airlines domestic flight in Japan.

The US to Japan award price is the same as India, 80,000 miles round-trip in economy class, while prohibitively expensive at 200,000 miles.

15. From Maldives to Angkor Wat (Bangkok Airways)

One more interesting non-SkyTeam Asian partner of Flying Blue is Bangkok Airways. They fly to destinations from Maldives to Angkor Wat. Add a Bangkok Airways flight to your Flying Blue award to Southeast Asia.

A one-way trip from Angkor Wat (Siem Reap) to Maldives via Bangkok is 20,000 miles in economy. Business is pricey at 50,000 miles one-way.

16. Visit Africa From Tip to Toe (Air France/KLM and Kenya Airways)

With the colonial legacies of France and Netherlands, Air France and KLM have extensive Africa networks. Add in Nairobi-based Keyna Aiyways and you have one of the most extensive Africa networks in the sky.

Many of these tickets are extremely expensive in cash so use your Flying Blue miles to travel around Africa!

17. Add Victoria Falls to Your South Africa Trip (Comair)

Victoria Falls is a world highlight you can visit with Flying Blue’s cross-alliance Comair partnership. Image courtesy shutterstock.com

British Airways-owned Comair is a Flying Blue partner so if you have an award to South Africa, add a Comair flight up to Victoria Falls.

At 80,000 miles round-trip in economy from US this is a good value. Business at 200,000 miles is steep.

If you are already in Africa, standalone Comair flights are a better award value using British Airways Executive Club than Flying Blue.

18. Indian Ocean Island Hopping (Air Mauritius)

Air Mauritius is a key Flying Blue partner that gets you to magnificent Indian Ocean islands such as Mauritius, Reunion, and Madagascar.

US to these islands is 80,000 miles round-trip in economy, 200,000 in business.

If you love flying business class, you can sometimes go one island to the other via Paris on Air Mauritius or Air France. Don’t do this in economy!

Flying Blue Program

Award Booking Guidelines

Flying Blue allows one-way and round-trip awards.

What Flying Blue calls a ‘multi-destination award’ online is really an open-jaw, meaning you can fly to one destination and return from another. You cannot add additional stops and you must return to your origin.

Most partner airlines can be searched on the Air France website. For others, you can search alternate sites or call Air France for availability.

Hot Tip: Not all partner airlines show on award searches with Air France/KLM. For example, you can use American Airlines’ website to check Alaska Airlines award availability.

Phantom Partner Award Availability

The Air France website is great for searching partners. It has one big flaw: so-called phantom availability on partner airlines.

Sometimes award will show as available but then be possible to book. Either the award is not available or the routing is not possible to book with Flying Blue.

It is always best to call Air France to confirm an award is available PRIOR to transferring miles to Flying Blue.

There are no award holds, however American Express and Chase transfer are instant, so if the agent confirms availability, you can immediately transfer and book the award. There is no phone booking fee.

Classic Awards and Flex Awards

The main types of Flying Blue flight awards are Classic Awards and Flex Awards.

Classic Awards are lower-priced and less available. All partner awards except Kenya Airways and TAROM are Classic Awards.

Flex Awards are higher-priced awards on Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways and TAROM. While Classic Awards may be hard to find, Flex Awards are available for most flights.

Hot Tip: If you must take a specific flight and have enough miles, you can lock in a Flex Award since it is free to change or cancel, then keep checking back to see if a cheaper Classic Award becomes available.

How Much Do Flights Awards Cost?

Use the Flying Blue Miles Calculator to find out award flight and upgrade prices.

Pricing is by zones and not too complicated. Unlike many other airlines, award prices in miles are the same regardless of airline.

What can differ among airlines is the cash component since some Flying Blue partner airlines assess fuel surcharges and others do not. Always check alternate Flying Blue partner options for your trip.

Example: Taipei-based China Airlines does not have fuel surcharges while Shanghai-based China Eastern and Guangzhou-based China Southern, do. A similar itinerary may cost several hundred dollars more on China Eastern or China Southern.

Flying Blue vs Delta SkyMiles

Air France / KLM and Delta are both SkyTeam members so in many cases you can use either miles for the same trip.

Generally, the differences are:

Air France First Class can only be booked with Flying Blue miles and only by Flying Blue elites (same for Flex Business Class awards)

Book Upgrade Awards

You can upgrade paid flights on Air France, KLM and select airline partners.

Air France and KLM upgrades are the most flexible. They can be requested online up to 24 hours departure and may also be available at the airport or on board the aircraft.

Partner awards are subject to availability and various restrictions specific to the airline, route and fare class of ticket. Best is to contact Flying Blue at least 72 hours prior to departure for availability and price. See upgrade award terms here.

Fees, Changes and Cancellations

There is no phone booking fee, thankfully. However, Promo Awards must be booked online.

Mileage Expiration Caveat

To keep miles from expiring, you need to credit one flight to your Flying Blue account every 20 months.

You can fly Air France, KLM or any Flying Blue partner airline, however this must be a mileage-earning flight (award flights and certain other types of tickets do not earn miles).

Unlike many other frequent flyer programs, non-flight mileage activity does not prevent expiration.

Conclusion

Flying Blue is a versatile airline frequent flyer program with strong mileage values and a wide range of partners. Flying Blue has some great values like Promo Awards and Israel in the Europe region. It is a contender for best overall SkyTeam mileage program.

Now that you know some of the best ways to use Flying Blue miles, we hope you’ll enjoy your next redemption!

FAQ

What is Flying Blue? How much does it cost?

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM. It is free to join and you can earn miles from flying Air France, KLM and their airline partners.

Flying Blue also has many other travel and non-travel partners where you can earn miles.

Membership Rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express, or the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express

Citi ThankYou: Citi Prestige Card

You can also transfer points from hotel loyalty programs:

SPG: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express and Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express

Hilton Honors: Hilton Honors™ Card from American Express

Where can I log in to my Flying Blue account?

Sign in to your Flying Blue account on the Flying Blue website. You can learn about Flying Blue, check account activity and research awards. In order to book award flights, you’ll need to use the same log-in on either the Air France or KLM website to search and book.

Can I earn miles with Flying Blue partners?

Flying Blue has many partners such as airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, retailers, and many more.

How much do Flying Blue award flights cost?

What are Flying Blue Promo Awards?

Flying Blue Promo Awards are monthly discounts of 20-50% for award travel. Promo Awards are for travel between two specific cities or regions, in either direction, one-way or round-trip. Each promo award is available for Air France or KLM or both. You cannot change, cancel or refund Promo Awards. You must book Promo Awards online.

Is it possible to upgrade a flight with Flying Blue Miles?

Yes, you can upgrade Air France or KLM flights with Flying Blue miles.

How can I earn Flying Blue Miles shopping online?

Earn miles by shopping at the Flying Blue Shop & Earn Store or the Air France Online Store. From these portals you can earn miles shopping at participating major retailers.

Which airlines are in the Flying Blue loyalty program?

KLM and Air France are members of SkyTeam along with airlines such as Delta and Alitalia. Fliyng Blue has additional airline partners such as Air Mauritius, Alaska Airlines, and Japan Airlines, see all Flying Blue airline partners here.

Can I earn Flying Blue Miles by flying Delta?

Yes, you can earn Flying Blue miles on Delta flights marketed as DL, AF, KL, or a SkyTeam-partner. You will earn Flying Blue miles at the rate of the marketing airline on the ticket, meaning that if you ticket shows an AZ-coded flight (sold by Alitalia) operated by Delta, you will earn according to Flying Blue’s rates for Alitalia. This mostly occurs with connecting tickets that involve multiple airlines.

Can I transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles?

You can’t transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles, however you can use Flying Blue miles for awards on Delta flights. Sometimes the miles price is much lower, too! Note that award availability differs, so a flight Delta makes available to SkyMiles members may not be available to Flying Blue members.

When do Flying Blue Miles expire?

Every 20 months you need one flight on a Flying Blue airline to prevent your miles from expiring. This can be Air France, KLM or any Flying Blue partner airline. Unlike many other frequent flyer programs, other mileage activity does not prevent expiration.

Can I rent a car to earn Flying Blue Miles?

Alex has been traveling for over 25 years and from a young age was lucky enough to set out on numerous family trips all over the world, which gave him the travel bug. Alex has since earned millions of travel points and miles, mainly through maximizing credit card sign-up bonuses and taking every opportunity to earn the most points possible on each dollar spent.

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Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. For more information on our advertisers, see here.